Threaded workpiece gauging device



Nov. 18,1947; 1 w. F. ALLER 3 ,0

THREADED WORKPIECE GAUGING DEVICE Filed Nov. 1, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENT OR.

M Z am ATTORNEY.

Nov. 18, 1947. w. F. ALLER 2,431,013

' THREADED WORKPIEGE GAUGING DEVICE IN VENTOR.

\ I ain/M J i 1 I ATTORNEY."

Patented Nov. 18, 1947 THREADED WORKPIE-CE GAUGING DEVICE WillisiFay Allcr,.Dayton, Ohiogassignor to The "Slo'e'ffield Corporation, :Dayton, filhio, -.a' corporation of Ohio Application November 1, 1943;Se'1ialNo. 508,560

Claims. i

This invention relates to gauging devices.

One object of-the invention is the "provision of a, gauging device having a gauging member adapted to be positioned by the work, and control-ling the position or movement of gauging mechanism which is mounted on a carrier and enclosed in a housing, the construction being such that the gauging mechanism is mounted on the carrier independently of the housing itself.

Another object is the provision of a gauging device including a rigid carrier which supports the gauging mechanism andwhi'ch is compactly arranged and of small size, the gauging mechanism and the carrier being enclosed in a housing or shell serving merely forenclosing purposes.

Another object is the provision of a gauging device having a thread checking attachment normally arrangedin a housed position in back of the work operated gauging member but adapted to be readily lowered and swung into a position in which it cooperates with the gauging member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent rom the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a gauging device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the gauging device;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig, 1 but showing the thread checking attachment in its housed position;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the gauging mechanism and a portion of the housing;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing a carrier block which is adapted to carry the gauging mechanism, in its association with the rear portion'of the housing;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section on the line 1-4 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical-section through the lower portion of the carrier block showing 'how the thread checking attachment'is controlled and arranged, and.

Fig. 9 is avertical section through the carrier block taken on a plane at right angles to the section of Fig.8 and showing the thread checking attachment in its retracted position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by reference numerals, Ill designates the base member and II the supporting post of a gauging or measuring instrument. The post H provides a support for a vertical movable carrier I2 upon which the actual moving parts of the gauging mechanism are arranged. The gauging mecha- 2 nism, bymeans of which the size or dimension of an object may bemeasured or comparedwith'a standard size article, includes a work operated plunger l3, the lower end of which is adapted to contact a workpiece placed on the anvil M which is carriedby the gauge base.

Vertical movements of the carrier I2 are effected by turning a handwheel it thus rotating a pinion H which meshes with a rack It on the side of the post H. This brings the work operated plunger is into contact with the workpiece according to the size of the workpiece. The position of the carrier is then fixed by turning the clamp wheel I 9.

The gauging device incorporates a carrier block 20 which isdetacha-bly secured bymeans of screws 2| to a carrierbracket 22, the carrier block and the-carrier bracket constituting the vertically movable carrier 12 previously mentioned. The carrier blockill is a compact metallic casting properly machined to provide a support for all of the operating parts of the gauging mechanism itself, and positioning'these parts independently of the housing 23 in which the parts are arranged.

r Block 2 thus supports the socket 25 of the light bulb 26; the lenses 2'! -and'28, the fixed and mov able gauge blocks 29 and 3D and the scale mount 3! having a scale 32 arranged in the path of the light-rays coming from the light bulb. The movablegauge block forms a support for the work operated plunger 13 and this block together with the fixed block 29 supports a movable arm 33 which is movable in accordance with the position 'of the plunger [3 and which controls the light indications apparent on the scale.

The fixed block 29 is held securely, as by means of'screws 35, on the carrier block 20. Horizontally extending vertically spaced parallel spring blades 36 each fixed. at opposite ends to the fixed and movable blocks form a yielding mount for the movable block permitting limited vertical movement. Secured to the closely adjacentportiorns 0f thefixed. and movable blocks are short vertically extending parallel spring blades 31, 'both fixed at their upper ends to the lower end of the arm 33; the construction being such that as'the work forces the plunger I3 upwardly the movable gage block. moves upwardly, the springbla'des flex. and the arm 33 moves to the left, as viewed in Fig. i. The upper end of this'armis'turned outwardly as indicated at 39 in Fig. 3 and is' thus interposed in the path of the 'light'rays which pass from the light bulb to the scale. This out-turned upper end of the arm thus forms a shadow target, the edge of which is apparent on the scale in the form of a shadow line. Damping means 40 carried by strip 4| serves to prevent undue vibratory movement of the arm 33.

The various operating parts of the gauge mechanism just described are all enclosed within the housing 23 which includes a front housing portion 43 connected by two attaching screws 44 to the rear housing portion 45. The latter is held in position by screws 46 threaded in the carrier bracket 22. The lower portion of the housing is provided with an opening 4! through which the gauging plunger l3 projects, and the rear housing portion is provided With an opening through which the lower rear portion of the block 20 extends into contact with the carrier bracket 22. In the front housing portion is an opening 48 and a glass 49 through which the operator can see the scale 32.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the upper rear portion of the housing has a detachable cover plate which can be readily removed to permit access to the light bulb and socket. Removal of the cover plate is effected by rotating it on its own axis, thus swinging the retaining blade 52, which is fastened on the inside of the cover plate, into a position opposite the notch 53 in the housing. A similar notch in the housing is provided adjacent the lower side of the cover plate for cooperation with a second retaining strip 52.

As will be apparent from Figs. 5 and 6, the carrier block 20 is of compact form, having provision for directly supporting the various operating parts, that is, so that these operating parts are carried independently of the housing in which they are arranged. The housing is in the form of a thin shell, of moulded composition, thus reducing the weight of the housing as compared to the weight of a metallic housing, and permitting the housing to be very economically made since it does not need to be provided with accurately located supporting surfaces for any of the parts of the gauging mechanism. Since all of the supporting positions of the various parts of the gauging mechanism itself are positioned on the same integral supporting carrier block there is assurance, in assembly of the parts, that they will be properly arranged with respect to one another, If desired, merely by removing the front cover section by loosening the screws 44, and then loosening the screws 2|, the carrier block 20 and all of the operating parts of the gauging mechanism can be removed intact as a unit and without disturbing their relative settings with respect to one another. The construction, of course, permits ease of assembly of the various parts in their proper positions as Well as permitting ready removal of the operating parts for inspection or repair purposes.

The carrier block 25 also forms the support for a thread checking attachment 54, having a pointed work engaging end 55 for positioning in the threads. The thread checking attachment comprises a bar 55 having an arm 5'! fixed on its lower end. The arm carries a vertically movable pin 58 which is guided for free movement in a range limited by a stop pin 59 extending transversely through a short vertically extending slot in one side of the pin 53. In its operating position, the arm 51 projects under the work engaging plunger 13, as shown in Fig. 2. With the lower end of the plunger l3 engaging the top of the pin 58, as the thread being checked positions the lower end of the pin the gauging mechanism is correspondingly moved, the arm 51 and rod .56 remaining stationary. This position of the arm 51 is illustrated also in Fig. 8. There is an upward spring pressure applied to the rod by a spring 65, but the upward movement of the rod is stopped by a retaining spring blade 6| engaging a notch 62 in the side of the rod, thus locating the rod. This permits the operator to pull down on the arm 51 at any time he Wishes to disconnect the thread checking attachment, thus releasing the upper side of the pin 58 from the gauging plunger l3, and the operator then swings the arm 51 rearwardly and pushes it upwardly into its housed or retracted position, As he turns the arm 57, the notch 62 is moved out of alignment with the retaining spring blade BI, and having completed the swinging movement of the arm 51 through 180, a second notch 63 is thus moved into vertical alignment with the retaining spring blade 64 which it engaged after the rod is pushed upwardly. The spring blade 64 thus holds the rod and the arm in its retracted position but permits it to be lowered merely by a down-pull on the arm 51. The rod 55 is guided in spaced bearing portion 65 which are provided directly in the carrier block 20 to the rear of the location of the fixed and movable gage blocks.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus and that changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A gauge comprising a standard, a carrier vertically adjustable on the standard, a spring supported block mounted on said carrier and having a movable work engaging member, gauging means operated by said block, and a thread checking attachment having a stem of circular cross section slidably mounted in said carrier for axial movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the work engaging member and for rotational movement about the axis of the stem, so that the stem is movable from a retracted position at the rear of the work engaging member to an extended position, said stem having an onset arm rigid with the stem at the lower end of the stem and of a length adequate so that the end of the arm projects below the work engaging member when the arm and stem are in an operative position, and means operably mounted in said arm and adapted for engagement with the work engaging member and the work.

2. A gauge comprising a standard, a carrier vertically adjustable on the standard, a spring supported block mounted on said carrier and having a Work engaging member, gauging means operated by said block, and a thread checking attachment slidably mounted in said carrier for axial and rotational movement from a retracted position at the rear of the work engaging member to an extended position below the work engaging member, the aXis of rotation of said attachment being parallel to the direction of movement of said work engaging member, said attachment having an arm portion extending laterally of its axis of rotation and adapted for positioning below the work engaging member in the extended position of the attachment.

3. A gauge comprising a standard, a carrier vertically adjustable on the standard, a housing, gauging mechanism supported by said carrier in said housing, said mechanism including a movable work engaging member, a thread checking attachment slidably'mounted in said carrier for axial movement parallel to the direction of movement of the work engaging member and rotational movement at the rear of the work engaging member, said attachment having an outwardly extending arm at its lower end for positioning below the work engaging member, means operably mounted in said arm for engagement with both the work and the work engaging member, means for holding said attachment in a predetermined operative position, and spring means for yieldingly holding said attachment in retracted position and yieldable when a down-pull is exerted on the attachment.

4. A gauge comprising a standard, a carrier on said standard, a gauging mechanism supported by said carrier and including a movable work engaging member, and a thread checking attachment slidably mounted in said carrier at the rear of the work engaging member for axial movement parallel to the direction of movement of the Work engaging member and for rotational movement about its axis, said attachment having an outwardly extending arm at its lower end for positioning below the work engaging member, spring means operative when the attachment is in operative position for exerting a resilient force in the direction of retractive movement, stop means resisting said spring means and holding the attachment in a predetermined position and a work engaging portion operably mounted in said arm 6 and engageable with the work and the movable work engaging member.

5. A gauge comprising a standard, a carrier on said standard, a gauging mechanism supported by said carrier and including a movable work engaging member, and a thread checking attachment slidably mounted in said carrier at the rear of the work engaging member for axial movement parallel to the direction of movement of the work engaging member and for rotational movement about its axis, said attachment having an outwardly extended arm at its lower end for positioning below the work engaging member and having a stem portion providing an axis of rotation in the carrier, means yieldingly engaging said stem portion for holding the attachment retracted or in extended position, spring means for exerting a resilient force in the direction of retractive movement of the stem, and a movable work engaging pin operably mounted in said arm and cooperative with the movable work engaging member.

WILLIS FAY ALLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,159,335 Markwick May 23, 1939 2,244,964 Poock et a1 June 10, 1941 2,240,184 Hathaway Apr. 29, 1941 

